Machine and method for forming french-felled seams



J. F. WEIS `Fume 9, 1931.

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING FRENCH FELLED SEVIAMS Filed Deo/. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l J.x P. wEls June 9,- 1931.,

MACHINE AND METI-*IOD FOR 4FORMING FRENCH FELLED SEAMS 4 sheets-sneek 2 Filed Dec. 2. 1929 J. P. WElS Jue 9, 1931.

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMINGFRENCH FELLED SEAMS Filed Dc. .2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 9, 1931. J P, wEls 1,809,463

MACHINE AND METHOD FOB FORMING FRENCH FELLED SEAMS Filed Deo. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 9, 19.31

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vJOHN' P. WEIS, OF N'YACK, YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 METROPOLITAN SEWING MACHINE CORPORATION, OF NYACK, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING- FRENCH-FELLED SEAMS Application tiled December 2, 1929. Serial No. 411,013.

This invention relates to sewing machines and particularly to an improved machine and method for making multiple seams in various articles, such as the legs of trousers, overalls, and the like, in one o eration with a single handling of the work by the operator, and which machine iscomparatively simple in construction and operation and by means of which the seams of the character described may be expeditiously and less expensively produced.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved machine and method for first stitching superposed parts or plies of an article with a row of stitches, sbsequently automatically opening or separating unstitched portions of the plies and re versing or overturning a ply, and then stitching the several lapping lies with another row of stitches in paralle ismlwith the first 'row of stitches, thereby to form what is known as a French-felled seam. 4

Another object of the invention is to so combine a plurality of sewingmechanisms in tandem relation with -eooperating means therebetween to convey and guide the work from one to the other automatically, thereby to form a French-felled seam having a plurality of spaced lines or rows of stitches, whereby superposed plies of the article may be first stitched together with a row of stitches, one ply thereof overturned, and the triple plies again stitched with another row of'stitches in parallelism with the first row to form the seam.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a machine and method in which superposed plies of fabrics are first stitched together with a durable elastic stitch, one of l the plies reversed or overturned in a direction opposite to the bottom ply whereby it is folded over in position to receive a second line of durable elastic stitches, thereby to form a French-felled seam in a single operation instead of two separate and distinct operations, as heretofore.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved machine so organized in connection with overturning, guiding, and

controlling means co-operating therewith thata plurality of plies of material may be fed horizontally in a Hatwise position to the left of the needle of one sewing mechanism and stitched with a row of stitches, a ply thereof then reversed or overturned, and the triple plies then stitched with a row `of stitches located to the right of the first row of stitches and in parallelism therewith.

In the stitching of certain kinds of clothing and other articles to make a French-felled seam well known inthe art, it has always required, irst, the stitching by an operator on one sewing machine of two plies of material to form a seam along the marginal edges of the material to join them together, then the plies are subsequently separated and the seam margins folded over either to the right or left as the work is guided through a second sewing machine by a second operator. These two separate operations have heretofore been necessary. to make a French-felled seam, regardless of what the article may be. The skill required in the second operation made it more expensive than the first operation, in addition to which has to be considered the cost of shifting the work from one operator `to the other and the delay incident thereto. In my improved method the work is accomplished in a very simple manner with one operator in a single pass through the machine of the material, effecting a substantial saving in the cost of the operation as Well as offering other obvious advantages.

The improvement is particularly useful for making the outside leg seams of overalls, trousers, and other clothing, and also the heel seams andthe like in canvas and other shoes, and various other articles of manufacture.

In this improved machine for making Frenchfelled seams, under certain operating conditions on some kinds of articles, the general arrangement and design of the guide and ycontrol members may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention.

4For instance, the flop-over control means, the

shape of the cloth guiding member, the scalloped portion ofthe seam control, and the general arrangement of the parts may all be varied to suit different operations for producing the French-fell or similar seams,

either with single or multiple needle stitching mechanisms with plain or ornamental stitches that are well known in the art, without de arting from the spirit of this invention. 'liliei-efore, in the present instance, while, for the purioses of description, the invention is described and illustrated par-n ticularly for use in the manufacture of overE alls, shoes, and the like, this is not .to be understood las a limitation, as it is obvious that the improvement may be used with equal facility on a great variety of articles requiring multiple stitching for the seams, and when such articles require two or more lilies or rows of stitches showing on the out side, the second sewing mechanism can readily be provided with two or more needles to meet such requirements.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this spi-icification-H Fig. 1 is a front end view of this improved machine for making a French-felled seam in one operation by one handling of the work by a single operator;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the driving mechanisms of this machine;

Fig.` 4 is a detail View of the work edge guide, with the superimposed plies of work 'iu position for stitching, and a part of the plv turnover means;

ig. 5 is a top plan view of the presser foot with the folding guide attached thereto;

Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective, partly sec tional, view of the seam edge guide and the ply turnover means;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the seam edge guide and needle of the first sewing mechE anism and illustrates two superposed plies of material r dj acent to the stitching position Fig. 9 illustrates the superposed plies of material after receiving the first row of stitches with the top ply partially reversed or turned over Fig. 10 .illustrates the top ply further `folded over, prior to receiving the second row of stitches; and

Fig. 11 illustrates the two plies of Work with the completed Frenchdelle'd seam after it has passed the second stitching mechanism.

Similar characters of reference indicate Before explaining in detail the present im provement and mode of operation thereof, I

desire to have it understood that the inven5 tion is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated iii the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of imitation.

In constructing this machine I preferably use two of the well-known Metropolitan sewin machines, although any other make of machine could be used since the invention is not limited to-any particular kind of sewing machine or stitchingl mechanism. In the present instance I use two single needle stitchq ing mechanisms arranged in tandem relation and spaced a art to permit the reversal of a portion of t e work as the material passes vfrom one to the other. This spacing may 'power driving means for operating the two sewing mechanisms 2 and 3, which rest on and are secu/red to the table. A description of one sewing mechanism will sutlice for both,

since they are alike except for some slight details which will be described in connection With the handling of the work. Each, therefore, is equipped with the usual stitching instrumentalities comprising a needle 4, resser foot 5, and feeding mechanism 6. riving belts 'T- and 8 are provided for operating the two sewing mechanisms; belt 7 operates sew= ingmechanism 2, while belt 8 operates sews ing mechanism 8. An electric motor 9 is mounted en a shaft 9' with which a clutch 10 is connected for coupling and unceupling a drive pulley 11 with the motor 9. This clutch is under the control of a foot treadlc 12 connected by chain 13to a clutch lever 14, whereby the machine ma be started and sto pcd at will and the spec varied and contro -led according to the skill of the o rater. The 'top shafts Yoit the sewing mec anisms are rovided with hand wheels 15 for the usua purpose.A p

Attached Ito the cloth plate of the front sewin mechanism 2 is a work edge uide 16 (see igs. 2 and 4) for controlling t e edges 17 of the goods 18 to be stitched. The line er row of stitches 19 is usually placed about one-quarter of an inch fromthe edges of the llll ico?

fed across the cloth plate in a flat position, while the top ply is separated therefrom and feeds up over the inclined edge 23 forming a nating at the end 26 just in advance of the stitching instrumentalities of sewing mechanism 3. This overturning means is adjustably secured by clamp screws 27 passing through elongated slots in a forwardly-projecting plate 28 formed as a part of a face plate 29-'for the head of sewing mechanism 3, this plate covering and protecting the needle driving mechanism thereof and is secured to the head by screws 30 tapped into the head of the topl arm of the machine. By' this organization the entire overturning means is properly supported and held in operative position relatively to the clothl plates and stitching instrumentalities of the two sewing mechanisms to accurately control the work.

. This overturning means is provided with a right-angle scalloped flange 31 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 7) which acts as a controlling means to prevent or limit any lateral shifting of the stitched seam as it passes from the sewing mechanism 2 to the sewing mechanism 3. The scallop form of the flange lessens the friction on the work as it is fed from one stitching position to another. This scalloped flange 31 is 'so spaced relatively to the throat 32 of a trough or U-shaped guide 33 so as to properly regulate the seam margin between the row of stitches 19 and the free edges 17 of the work, so that the proper width or margin 34 (see Figs. 9 and 10) 1s maintained uniformly throughout the length of the seam. This trough-shaped. uide 33 comprises a bottom, laterally-extendging portion 35 extending from one cloth plate to the other to support the work and an overhanging top portion 36 to hold the'work against Avertical mover/nentl and thereby keep it under control. The edge 33 forms a guide for the folded portion of the overturned ply. The front end of this trough-shaped guide is shaped, as at 37, adjla cent the first stltching position to pern'nt the feed of sewing mechanism 2 to properly *feed the work'. There is also a cut-out portion, as at 38, at the rear end of this guide to permit the feeding means 6 of the second sewing mechanism to properly feed the material. The overhanging or top wall 36 of this guide is cut away at the rear end, as at 39, for clearance of the presser foot, while a portion of the vertical wall 40 extends directly up to the needle of the second sewing mechanism 3 to properlycontrol the work. .Projecting close to the stitching position of the rear stitching mechanism 2 is a guiding finger 41 attached to and carried by the overhanging wall 3 (see Fig. 8) for guiding the folded edge of the overturned ply to the second stitching position.

The presser foot 5'of sewing mechanism 2 is preferably a compensating foot provided with a vertically-yielding, right-hand portion 42 to act upon the three thicknesses of material 43 (see Fig. 11), while the left-hand portion 44 of the foot operates at a lower level on the single pl 18 of the material. The construction of t is presser foot thus provides a guiding means for the folded edges 34 of the sealn (see Fig. 11). The front end of the foot portion 44 has a bent-up, laterally-extending portion 45 providing a space underneath for the extrathicknesses of the fold in the material. This portion 45 of the foot covers the space formed by cutting away the overhanging wall 36, at 39, of the guide 33 while leaving space for the feeding of the work freely over and around the guide finger 41 which projects parallel to the foot portion44 underneath the foot portion 45 and directly up to and in front of the needle of.

sewing mechanism 2.

To support the U- haped guiding means so -as to properly control the work as it passes from one sewing mechanism to the other, a bracket 46 (see Fig. 8) is provided to which the U-shaped guide 33 is attached. This bracket is provided with elongated slots 48 whereby it may be attached, as at 49 (see Fig. 2) to the cloth plate of sewing mechanism 3.

The overturning or flop-over means has attached thereto members that assist in the overturning and controlling of the work, which members also strengthen and give rigidity to the parts. Attached to the top of the arm of sewing mechanism 3, as at 50, is a flatbrace member 51 having its opposite end attached, as at 52, to the projecting face plate 28. Also attached, as at 50, is a curved wire 53 which also forms a brace and work cont-rol member, the other end of which is attached, as at 54, to one of the screws 27. Attached, at 55, to the laterally-projecting flange 31 of the member 21 is also a wire work control uide 56 which vis shaped approximately as s own in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The guide so acts upon the work as to remove wrinkles during the Hoppingover of the top ply. Also attached to the flange 31,-as at 57 and 58 (see Fig. 2), are laterally-projecting members 59 and60 located at an angle and in the path of travel of the top ply of material. These members act upon the top ply to lay it over flat and In some cases, to facilitate the handling llt of the work by the operator, I provide an auxiliary table of suitable material having a portion extendin into the space 61 rsee Fig. 2) with the rig it-liand ed at 62. his table may extend to the left o the needles a distance equal to the width of the work operated upon. While this table is not essential for all kinds of work, it nevertheless is of ad vantage on work such as overalls.

B f means of this improved machine and met iod of forming seams the work heretofore done on separate machines with independent operators, re airing double handling of the work may be one with one handling of the work by a sin le operator, whereby the work is done in ha f the time formerly required.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus ex i-lained the nat-ure of my said invention and describedv a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may bemade or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

l. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of means for stitching superposed plies of material with a row of stitches means for overturning a ply of material and throwin it in a direction opposite to its companion p y thereby forming a triple-ply seam, and means for stitching the triple plies with another row of stitches in pai-alle ism with the first row thereof thereby to form a French-felled sea-m.

2. In a. machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of means for stitching su erposed plies of material with a row of stitc ies, means for guiding the stitched seam margins of the superiosed plies of material in the plane of the ottom pl of material, means for overturning a ply o material and throwing it in a direction oppositeto its companion ply thereby forming a triple-'ply seam and means for stitching tlie-triple plies wit i another row of stitches in parallelism with the first row thereof thereby to form a Frenchfelled seam.

3. Ina machine for sewing multi le seams, the combination of means for stitching su erposed plies of material with a row of stitc kes, means for guiding the stitched seam margins of the superposed plies of material in the plane of the bottom pl of material, means or overturning a ply o material and throwing it in a direction opposite to its com-v panion ply thereby'. forming a triple-ply seam, means for pressing down the overturned ply, and means for stitching the tri le lies with another row of stitches in paral elism with the first row thereof thereby to form a French-felled seam.

4. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of means for stitching su erposed plies of material with a row of stitc es, means for overturning a ply of material and throwing it in a direction opposite to its companion ply thereby forming a triple-ply seaiinmeans for engaging the overturned ply to revent the wrinklin thereof as it is fed to its final stitching position, and means for stitching thev triple plies with another row of stitches in parallelism with the ist row thereof thereby to form a French-felled seam.

5` In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other', means therebetween for guiding the stitched edges of snperposed plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, means therebetween for overturning a ply of the work over said guiding means, means therebetween for controllin the width of the seam margins, mea-ns there ietween for holding down the overturned ply, and means therebetween for preventing the wrinkling of the overturned ply.

6. In a machine for sewing multiple seams. the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, means in position to guide the edges of superposed lies of material to the first stitching position, means between the sewing mechanisms for guiding the stitched edges oi' the superposed plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, means rooperat-ing with the second guiding means for controlling the width of the seam, and means between the sewing niechanisnis for overturning a pl of the work for the passage oi' the triple p ies thus formed to the second sewing position.

7. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, means in iosition toguide the edges of su )erposed p ies of material to the first stitching position, means between the sewing mechanisms for guiding the stitched edges of the super iosed plies of material from one sewing mec ianism to the other, means cooperating with the second guiding means for controlling the width of the seam, means hetween the sewing mechanisms for overturning a ply of the work for the passage of the triple plies thus formed to the second sewing position, and a guide finger carried by the second guiding means for guiding the work to the second sewin position.

8. In a machine or sewing multiple seams. the combination of apair of sewing mech anisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, means in position to guide th: edges of 10 thus formed to the second sewin positlon,

and presser foot mechanism carrled by thek second sewing mechanism for guiding and holding down the work during the stitching of the second row of stitches.

9. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind' the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, means in position to guide the edges of superposed plies of material to the first stitching position, means between the sewing mechanisms for guiding the stitched edges of the superposed plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, means cooperating with the second guiding means for controlling the width of the seam, means between the sewing mechanisms for overturn-v ing a ply of the work for the passage of the triple plies thus formed to the second sewing position, a guide finger carried by the second guiding means for guiding the work to the second sewing position, and presser foot mechanism carried by the'second sewing mechanism for guiding and holding down the work during the stitching of the second row of stitches.

10. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to 40 sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, a U-shaped -guide therebetween for guiding the stitched edges of the superposed plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, and means between said sewing mechanisms for overturning a ply of work over said uiding means.

11. In a machine or sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, a U-shaped guide therebetween for guiding the stitched edges of the superposed plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, means between said sewing mechanisms for overturning a ply of wor over said lguiding means, and means co-operating wit said guiding means for controlling the width of the seam.

12. In a machine for sewing .multiple seams, the combination o f a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, a U-shaped guide therebetween for guiding the stitched edges of the superposed C 5 plies of material from one sewing mechanism to the other, means between said sewing mechanisms for overturning a ply of work over said guiding means, and-means co-operating with said uiding means for controlling the width og the seam, said means having a scalloped formation.

13. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, means for guiding the work to the first stitching position, means for guiding the work to the second stitching position, and means between the sewing mechanisms for overturning a ply of the work to form a triple-ply seam and permit the triple plies thus formed to be sewed by the second row of stitches.

14. In a machine for sewing multiple sea-ms, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, and means therebetween for overturning a ply of material and throwing it in a direction oppositeto its companion ply, said means including means for separating the unstitched portion of the plies and means for gradually raising the ply and overturning the same.

15. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the-other, and means therebetween for overturning a. ply of material and 'throwing it in a direction opposite to its companion ply, said means including means for separating the unstitched portion of the plies and means for gradually raising the'ply and overturning the same and comprising a member having an inclined vertically-located edge.

16. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after' the other, and means therebetween for o verturning a ply of material and throwing itin a direction opposite to its companion ply,

4said means including means for separating ing an inclined vertically-located edge and a pluralityof laterally-curved members.

17. In a machine for sewing multiple seams, the combination of a pair of sewing mechanisms located one behind the other to sew parallel rows of stitches, one row after the other, and means therebetween for overturning a ply of -material and throwing4 it in a direction opposite t'o its companion ply, said means including means for separating the unstitched portion of the plies and means for gradually raising the ply and overturning the same and comprislng a member having an inclined vertical1y-located edge and a plurality of laterallycurved, wire-formed members.

18. The method of stitching articles to form a French-felled seam which consists in stitching two superposed plies of material with a. row of stitches, then while such row of stitching is being applied simultaneously and automatically graduali separating the plies at the forward end t ereof and overturningr that part of one of the plies so stitched to form a triple ply at the seam ortions thereof, and then stitching the triple plies with a row of stitches parallel'to the first row.

19. The method of stitching articles to form a. French-felled sea-m which consists in first stitching two superposed plies of material with a row of stitches, then gnidingpthe 14o-stitched seam during the feedln thereof into position to be again stitche and simultaneously with such guiding of the superposed plies automatically overturning one of said plies to form a triple-ply seam, and then stitching the triple plies with a second row of stitches in parallelism with the first row.

20. The method of stitching articles to form a. French-felled seam which consists in Y first stitching two superposed plies of material with a row of stitches, then dguiding the lso-stitched seam durin the fee lng thereof into position to be agaln stitched and simnltaneously with such guiding of the superposed plies automatically and gradually overturning one ofvsaid lies to form a triple-ply seam, and then stlt'chin the triple plies with a second row of stitc es in parallelism with the first row.

Signed at Nyack, county of Rockland und ltate of New York this 29th day of Nov.

JOHN PA wais. 

